2K Games has appointed Ben Brinkman from the creators of Apex Legends to lead the development team at their internal studio, which is currently developing the forthcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.
Management Change Comes After Poor Response
Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to Project Ethos' underwhelming early showing last fall.
On Wednesday, 2K president a key figure notified team members about this organizational change through an internal memo, which highlighted that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined vision.
Ismailer stated that the developers is now overhauling Project Ethos with a renewed approach, aiming to address player expectations.
A Pattern of Key Acquisitions
This announcement mirrors a similar action taken by 2K Games in August, when they brought on Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the BioShock development group.
Here is the complete message from the president's memo:
Dear Team—
I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the good news. Last time I shared you all a message, I expressed the following: “I am confident in this crew. You all are some of the most driven and talented developers we have had the chance to work with - and we’re looking forward for that relationship to endure.”
Through your commitment and flexibility, especially over the last year, you continue to prove that.
The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS playtest was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but indicated we still had improvements to make. It highlighted the need for a more distinct vision.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve progressed. You accepted the feedback to heart and overhauled Project ETHOS with a revitalized direction - one that’s positioned to fulfill its promise to our players.
The belief in Project ETHOS strengthens every day. To advance the remarkable progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to announce the new hire as the incoming Lead of 31st Union. After a period of conversations, he comes aboard us on next week.
Ben’s guidance and expertise in the competitive gaming field is vast, having devoted the recent years creating and managing some of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, such as the acclaimed shooter, and lately, the battle royale hit.
I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to persist seeing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the months to follow.
The President
Experience of the Incoming Head
Brinkman currently serves in the role of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple production roles on the iconic franchise games, and, prior to that, had assignments at 2K and Electronic Arts.
Title Information and Vision
Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 together with a public demo. Then, the developers portrayed the title as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an exciting advancement on the genre."
"Create your ideal gameplay session—or face defeat—in this engaging over-the-shoulder adventure! Build your hero in real-time to fit your unique tactics," the game's pitch explains. "Face the opponents with new abilities, stakes, and tests that evolve every session. Do you leave securely with your collected items? Alternatively take a risk, put it on the line, and hope your squad can achieve the highest spot? The option is up to you."
Project Ethos lacks an confirmed debut schedule or supported systems, but fans can expect more updates as development progresses.
